Excavating apparatus.



No. 887,990 PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. w. 0. WEEKS.

EXGAVATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION IILED JANET, 1908.

2 SHEETS SHBY-T 1.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR THE NORRIS PETERS co wAsHmaroN. n. c.

No. 887,990. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

W. 0. WEEKS EXOAVATING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED JAN.7,190B.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

o 0 d zs 16 00 WITNESSES: Wag," MW nvvavron oi nrroawsr r14: uankrs PETERS ca., wAsHmarom-m c.

WILLIAM G. WEEKS, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Application filed January '7, 1908. Serial No. 409,612.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM G. WEEKs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved machinery for excavating, dredging and transporting earth and other materials with a scoop or scraper, operated from a main power-station by means of ropes or cables, hauled so that the earth and other materials may be filled into it, transported in it, and deposited from it.

In this specification the term forward indicates that direction in which the scoop is drawn when it is being filled, and the term backward indicates the contrary direction.

The scoop is a receptacle having closed bottom, backs and sides and open front and top. Two cables are used to operate the scoop, by means of which the same is drawn to the spot where it is desired to load the same, is then loaded, drawn forward, emptied of its contents and then returned for re-loading as will be hereinafter explained. Beyond the extreme forward limit of travel of the scoop is placed, winding machinery including a pair of drums. The two cables are secured to the scoop and each operated by means of the drums of winding machinery, one adapted to draw the scoop forward and the other backward with the assistance of a pulley placed beyond the extreme backward limit of travel of the scoop, over which the cable operates.

Other particular features of mechanism will be hereinafter described and explained.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a side elevation of the scoo in a horizontal position, Fig. 2, is a front e evation of the same, Fig. 3, is a side elevation of the same in the position of being loaded and of cutting into the earth, and Fig. 4, is a plan view of the scoop.

To the front end of the scoop 10 is hinged on the pins 11, a rigid bail 12, carrying at its center a sheave 16. This bail should be made horizontally broad and flat to best serve its purposes as will be hereinafter explained. Near the front end of the scoop '10 and secured to the sides thereof is a rigid yoke 13 carrying at its center two sheaves 14 and 15. To the sides of the scoop 10 and made stationary therewith, are secured lugs 17, with braces 18 to assure their stability. Braces 19 are also provided to add to the stability of the yoke 13. At the center of the rear end of the scoop 10 is provided a link or ring 20, made stationary with the scoop 10 but loose in its bearings 21. Secured to the block 22 carrying the sheave 16 is a cable 23, which passes over and around the sheave 14, thence under and around the sheave 16, thence over the sheave 15 and rearward of the scoop 10 and connecting with the series of links 24. A cable 25 has one end secured to the link or ring 20 and the other end secured to the series of links 24. At the juncture of the cable 25 and the series of links 24 is secured the tail line 26. The location of the ring or link 20 at the rear of the scoop 10 must be with due regard to the drawing facilities and tipping of the scoop. Secured to the center of the rigid bail 12 is the draw cable 27.

The scoop 10is provided with suitable teeth 28 with curved or angular ends. These teeth 28 assist the shovel to penetrate the earth or substance to be moved when the scoop 10 is tilted for cutting engagement and the curved or angular ends serve as a safe guard against the scoop engaging the earth until tilted for that purpose and also assist in throwing the scoop out of cutting engagement when the remainder of the apparatus is adjusted for that purpose. The broad rigid bail 12 is valuable also in assisting in throwing the scoop out of cutting engagement with the earth 29 when the same has been sufficiently loaded, the effectiveness being in the leverage action, the forward pull on the cable 27 acting as the power, the earth 29 as the fulcrum and the front art of the scoop 10 as the load or weight. y these mechanisms the cutting edge and teeth of the scoop 10 are forced upward and out of the cut and the scoop permitted to pass over and along the surface of the earth. The series of rings or links 24 is provided to permit of such adjust ment of the tipping qualities of the scoop 10 as will be best suited to the materials in which the same is working, the location of the tail pulley and other conditions. It will be ob served that the closer the tail line 26 is linked to the yoke 13, the nearer the perpendicular will the scoop 10 be tilted. When it is desired to operate the scoop, the winding machinery used to draw and regulate the cable 26 is set in motion and the scoop drawn backward to the spot where it is desired to load the same,- the draft on the cable 26 in drawing the scoop backward causes the sheave 16 and the bail 12 to be drawn upward towards the yoke 13 carrying the sheaves 14 and 15.

In order to load the scoop it is only necessary to stop the winding of the cable 26 and apply the winding machinery to draw forward the cable 27, in the meantime and during the filling of the scoop hold to proper tensionthe cable 26, thus applying a portion of the draft on the cable 27 at a point on the scoop near the top of the yoke 13, causing the scoop 10 to tilt forward and dig into the earth 29, as shown in Fig. 3, and when the scoop is sufficiently loaded, it is only necessary to slacken the cable, which causes the sheave 16 and the bail 12 to return to the position shown in Fig. 1, thus throwing the draft on the cable 27 to the point on the scoop 10 where the bail 12 is hinged thereto by the pins 11, this causes the scoop 10 to resume a horizontal position and the curved or angular teeth of the scoop acting in con' junction with the leverage of the rigid bail against the earth throws the scoop upwardly and out of cutting engagement with the earth. The loaded scoop may then be drawn forward along the surface of the earth and up an incline or otherwise, over a trap where the lugs 17 may engage arms or runners, the

scoop dumped and emptied between the same and be drawn backward again by means of the cable 27 for reloading.

Having thus described my invention, What Iclaim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus for excavating, dredging and moving earth and the like, the combination of a scoop, upwardly and forwardly extending yoke attached to the forward end of the scoop, sheaves mounted in the yoke, a bailhinged to the scoop, a sheave mounted in the bail, and a cable threaded around the sheaves operatively connected with a draw cable and a tail line, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for excavating, dredging and moving earth and the like, the combination of a scoop, upwardly and forwardly extending yoke attached to the forward end of the scoop, sheaves mounted in the bail, a cable threaded around the sheaves operatively connected with a draw cable and a tail line, and lugs or arms secured to the sides of the scoop, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM G. WEEKS.

Witnesses:

FRANK M. KERBY, W. R. SAMPsoN. 

